Collins wanted £1m after beating Eubank to take world title, manager tells court Collins wanted £1m after beating Eubank to take world title, manager tells court Wed, Oct 22, 1997, 01:00 A £1 million "next fight" fee was sought by the Dublin boxer Steve Collins after he beat Chris Eubank for the world title at Millstreet in March 1995, the High Court was told yesterday. Mr Justice O'Sullivan heard that when the boxer first approached the British promoter-manager, Mr Barry Hearn, he was considering retiring and was "on his backside". Mr Hearn later agreed under cross-examination that it was probably an exaggeration to say that Mr Collins was "broken down" when he came to him. He said he could not recall saying to the Millstreet arena owner, Mr Noel C. Duggan, that Chris Eubank would "play around with Paddy" for five rounds and then cut him up so badly that Mr Collins would not know what was happening to him.

Yesterday was the third day of an action brought by Mr Hearn, of Romford, Essex, and his company, Matchroom Boxing Ltd, against Mr Collins, of Pine House, Navan Road, Dublin, for alleged breach of contract. Mr Hearn claims a one-year management agreement between him and the boxer was extended for a further year from May 1995. Mr Collins denies the claim. Concluding his direct evidence yesterday, Mr Hearn said that about two weeks after the Millstreet fight he came to Dublin to pay Mr Collins his purse of about £145,000 net. He gave Mr Collins two cheques, one for £125,000 which was payable to himself, and one for £20,000 payable to a company. The meeting was held in Mr Collins's house and lasted several hours, with a break for lunch. They had had a social chat after the big win. Mr Collins said he was looking for advice about land and building a house. Then the conversation had turned to his boxing career. Mr Hearn said the reality of the situation was dawning. Mr Collins had made it clear he wanted at least £1 million for his next fight.

He had initially sought such a sum after the Millstreet contest. ADVERTISEMENT The entire conversation centred on money, Mr Hearn said. Mr Collins had obviously wanted to get as much as he could for his next fight. They had discussed whom Mr Collins would fight, and a return fight with Chris Eubank was uppermost in the champion's mind. They agreed that the next fee could be for a rematch between the two men. Mr Collins asked him to go away and consider what money might be offered for the contest. Cross-examined by Mr Colm Allen SC, for Mr Collins, Mr Hearn said it was probably an exaggeration to say that Mr Collins was "broken down" when he initially approached him. He believed Mr Collins, who had lost two fights, was considering retiring from boxing. Mr Hearn agreed that at the time he was probably the "number one" boxing promoter. His job was to get Mr Collins to number one as a boxer. At the time Mr Collins was worthless as a boxing asset, not as a financial person. He did not know what Mr Collins's financial position was but assumed that he was probably better off than Mr Collins.

He was aware Mr Collins was living in rented accommodation at the time and was not a house owner. Asked if he would accept that Mr Collins was "on his backside" and that he was at his pinnacle as a boxing promoter, Mr Hearn said he would. Asked if he did not sign a contract with Mr Collins in 1993 because he (Mr Hearn) did not want to, Mr Hearn said a contract was not necessary and was not an issue between them at that stage. When it came to the point of winning a world title, Mr Hearn said, he felt he needed a contract. Mr Hearn said that while Matchroom Boxing lost £27,000 on the Millstreet promotion, he had received 25 per cent of Mr Eubank's purse on the management side. That was not promotional. Twenty-five per cent of Mr Eubank's £700,000 purse was about £175,000. Asked how much the trainer, Mr Freddy King, was paid, Mr Hearn said that in 1995 he would have earned in the region of £100,000.

Mr Eubank had been beaten by a better boxer on the night and was making excuses after being beaten and losing his title. At the time he had a £6 million eight-fight deal with Sky Sports in respect of Mr Eubank, of which he would get 25 per cent and ancillary rights. When Mr Eubank lost to Mr Collins, the Sky Sports deal was halved in respect of the next two Eubank fights. He had suffered financially as a result of the Eubank defeat but had probably gained financially overall, Mr Hearn said. He no longer had any world champions on his books. The trial continues today. SecondsOut Boxing News - UK Boxing News - ATE: 100% Collins vs. Eubank vs. Benn ATE: 100% Collins vs. Eubank vs. Benn Retired, Chris Eubank & Nigel Benn: HoganPhotos.com In this week’s special edition of ‘Ask the Editor’ (ATE), we tackle one of the fiercest debates on the UK boxing scene – who was the best boxer between Steve Collins, Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn? All three won world titles and public acclaim.

Nigel Benn 42-5-1 (35) WBO middleweight world title 1990 WBC super middleweight title 1992-1996 Chris Eubank 45-5-2 (23) WBO middleweight world title 1990-1991 WBO super middleweight world title 1991-1995 Steve Collins 36-3 (21) WBO middleweight world title 1994-1995 WBO super middleweight world title 1995-1997 The SecondsOut editing team and readers from around the globe have considered this tricky question. If you simply look at their results against each other, Steve Collins appears to reign supreme. But it is important to consider the entire career of a boxer when considering who truly was the best. There were six matches between the three boxers from 1990 to 1996. 1. 18th November 1990: Chris Eubank TKO9 Nigel Benn 2. 9th October 1993: Nigel Benn D12 Chris Eubank 3.

18th March 1995: Steve Collins W12 Chris Eubank 4. 9th September 1995: Steve Collins W12 Chris Eubank 5. 6th July 1996: Steve Collins TKO4 Nigel Benn 6. 9th November 1996: Steve Collins TKO6 Nigel Benn Let the debate begin. Country : Germany Your Question : The difficulty with a black and white answer on Benn, Eubank and Collins, is possibly leaving out important factors, such as the fighters being in their peak, styles, post McClellan and Watson etc. It’s always going to be a subjective answer. As in other ’who’s best?’ debates, it probably comes down to the personality of the one choosing - does he/she prefer bravery over skill, or ferocity over tactics etc. In my own opinion, I loved the fear-turned-into-ferocity of Nigel Benn, the tactical mind of Eubank and the joining of mind and ruggedness in Collins. If I’m pushed though, I’ve got to pick Collins above the other two.

He may have beaten them towards the end of their best years, but I feel he would have had the ability and strength of character to do it at any point in their careers. CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: Good question, William. I agree. Steve Collins would have had the edge over both Benn and Eubank, regardless of which stage of their careers they fought in. I truly believe what gave Collins the edge over the other two was his early years experience of training and fighting in the tough Boston gyms. Collins was naturally tough anyway just like Benn, but Collins developed the inner steel and boxing skills in those early days. GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: William, You have to pick Collins over Eubank and Benn. Results count and Collins was 4-0 against these two not-so-gentlemen. BEN COHEN ANSWERS: I’ve always thought Eubank was the most complete fighter of the three. I mean, they were all great, and all had elements of elite fighters, but I think that Chris was that little bit smarter than the others. Collins beat both men, but he didn’t face them in their primes.

I think the Irishman would have always beaten Benn, but Eubank would have edged him in his prime. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: We comparing these three boxers, firstly we have to say they were all world class fighters and deserving world champions. The more I think of it, the more I think UK boxing fans were blessed to have all three around at the same time. But you have to look at their complete body of career work and all had great triumphs. Yes, Collins beat Eubank and Benn twice, but I think you can make an argument that both were past their best then. Benn clearly was, Eubank marginally so. Not to say that Collins was a genuine world champion either. Eubank deserves credit for his first win over Benn, but the ‘Dark Destroyer’ appeared to win their rematch even though it was scored a draw. Name : Johnny.H Country : United Kingdom Your Question : With regards to the debate about who was the best fighter out of Benn, Eubank, Collins, I challenge anybody to watch the Benn vs. McClellan fight and then dispute that Benn wasn’t the best.

You could have put King Kong in the ring with Benn that night - he wasn’t getting beaten by anybody....not Collins, not Eubank, nor (in my opinion) Roy Jones Jr. CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: Johnny, I agree Nigel Benn was fired up that night but for me styles make fights and Collins had the edge over both Benn and Eubank. Having said that, one could argue that Michael Watson was the best of all the British of that era. And don’t forget Herol Graham either. GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Johnny, the question as to who was the best fighter and who could have beaten Nigel Benn on the night Benn fought Gerald McClellan are separate issues. You judge the quality of a boxer on his body of work. Not many heavyweights could have beat Buster Douglas on the night Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson, but nobody will make the claim Douglas was a great fighter. Also, Benn would not have beaten a prime Roy Jones on ANY night. BEN COHEN ANSWERS: Taking nothing away from Benn’s performance, he was very lucky to get out of the first with McClellan. He was knocked through the ropes and given far too much time to recover by the referee.

I agree that post-McClellan, Benn was not the same fighter, but Collins and Eubank were just that little bit better in my opinion, regardless of where they were in their career. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Benn’s win over McClellan was one of the greatest in-fight comebacks ever seen. He had no right to get out of the first round, but he did on sheer will, determination and fighting heart. He landed hard on McClellan in the next two rounds to the point where the American was forced away from his normal aggressive mode and was even boxing on the outside as a southpaw at times! Both boxers took tremendous punishment in that fight and no one can ever doubt their fighting heart. That was a fight in ever sense of the word. Sadly, neither man was ever the same again. But I also agree with Greg, a prime Roy Jones Jr would have beaten Benn that night. That’s no disrespect to Nigel, because Roy at his best was a master boxer.

Name : Ian Benson Country : Canada Your Question : Having been blessed enough to see Benn, Watson, Eubank and Collins all at their respective best, I find it difficult to make an easy call too, as who is the best. I think the best way to sum it up would be, all were in their own styles what boxing to the pure fan is all about. They were warriors, gentlemen and a pleasure to watch. I think to try and separate them does them a disservice because we would be better served at being privileged to have seen them all. BEN COHEN ANSWERS: Great email Ian, I can see where you are coming from. It’s a pain having to dissect great fighters and definitively say ’who was the best’. Often it’s like apples and oranges. They are all different, and were great for their own unique style. GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Ian, there’s nothing wrong with a healthy debate on who was the better fighter - it shows the interest fans had in these three boxers. CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: Very well put Ian, you would make a great politician. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Good point Ian. All three were world class fighters.

Part of the fun of following boxing is debating the ‘what if’ and ‘who was the best’. One of the best aspects that Collins, Eubank and Benn must be credited with is that they were prepared to fight each other and make the big fights. Name : Owen.B Country : United Kingdom Your Question : In relation to who was better Eubank, Collins or Benn? I think Eubank comes out on top, after all he twice beat Watson who knocked out Benn, as well as stopping Benn himself. I then pick Benn as he notched up great results against hard-hitting opponents like Barkley and McClellan. Collins was excellent but he fought Eubank and Benn past their prime. I would have liked to have seen a prime Eubank and Benn fight Roy Jones and James Toney. Who do you think would have come out on top? Were they dodged because of what they did to Watson and the G-man? BEN COHEN ANSWERS: I agree with your assessment of Eubank, Owen. I don’t see any of the Brits doing well against Toney or Jones I’m afraid. They were a class above Eubank, Benn and Collins.

Eubank would have had the best chance against Toney and Jones, based on his intelligence and mental toughness. Toney and Jones were probably the most gifted super middleweights in history (with Jones edging it slightly). Eubank, Benn and Collins were just that little bit below. CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: Owen, I too would have loved to have seen the British fighters in with Jones Jr or Toney. All those fights would have been great to watch but would we be discussing these great British match-ups if Jones and Toney had fought them in their primes? GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Owen, Benn, Eubank and Watson were fine fighters, but not in the class of Jones or Toney. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Unfortunately fights with Toney, Jones Jr and Benn, Eubank and Collins never happened. The Americans seemingly didn’t want to go to fight in the UK and those in the UK were busy with their own domestic match-ups. I agree with Ben, Eubank would have had the best chance of beating Toney and Jones Jr. Though, Collins work rate and chin would have given Toney trouble as well. A prime Jones would have been too fast for him.

Name : Paul Wickes Country : United Kingdom Your Question : Chaps, with the amount of ’what would have happened if’ scenarios that people talk about on this forum, I have one for you. What would have happened if Chris Eubank had received a count from the referee after Michael Watson put him down in the eleventh round of their rematch? My guess is that Watson would have gone back to his corner, confident that the 10-8 round he’d just secured had given him victory on the scorecards. He’d have coasted the last round and picked up the unanimous decision. I think he’d have rematched Nigel Benn, outscored him and gone on to fight Steve Collins and then Eubank again. I think Watson would have had the beating of Collins and Eubank, both in close fights also. I was a huge fan of Michael Watson in his hey-day and I thought his achievement of completing the Marathon was astonishing. He was and still is a class act, but just think what could have been... GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Paul, there’s no way to tell when Watson’s injury began in the Eubank fight. Watson was certainly in the class of Eubank, Benn and Collins.

CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: Paul, Michael Watson is indeed an incredible man. I said in one of the other questions that I thought Michael was potentially the best of the lot but unfortunately his career was prematurely ended on that sad night at White Hart Lane all those years ago. BEN COHEN ANSWERS: That’s the thing about fighting Paul, one split second too late, one tiny error of judgement or one momentary lapse of concentration can separate a fighter from his senses and turn a fight around. Watson was the best of the lot if you ask me, a tremendous fighter with extraordinary guile and mental fortitude. But he lost fair and square to Eubank, and I don’t think it does any good to ask ’what if’. I’m sure Watson has done enough of that himself, and probably concluded that no one could possibly know. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Paul, maybe it would have happened like that. Watson was seemingly on the same level as Eubank, but he did lose and we can only truly measure him on what ultimately happened in the ring. With no disrespect intended, the record shows that Eubank was better than Watson.

Name : Neil Sho Country : United Kingdom Your Question : Firstly, in response to Thomas Peak’s view, I totally agree with his assessment about Collins, Eubank and Benn. I don’t believe as a fighter that Collins could have beaten either Eubank or Benn had he fought them before they fought each other or before their tragic fights. Both fighters are better and more rounded than Collins, but that is not taking away from the fact that Collins achieved a victory over both men. CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: I disagree, Neil. Steve Collins was at the end of his career when he fought Benn and Eubank. I believe a peek Collins had the style to beat them both. GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Neil, while Collins may have not beaten Eubank and Benn at their zenith, Collins himself was past 30 and near the end of his career. BEN COHEN ANSWERS: Hi Neil, I do think that Collins would have always beaten Benn. Benn was monstrous puncher and a bully in the ring, but did not like it when he got a taste of his own medicine. Collins was one tough customer, and would not be intimidated by anyone.

I think this affected Benn psychologically, and would have cost him the fight at any stage of his career. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: I can see where Clive and Greg are coming from, but I think while Collins was later in age, he was still young in big fights and primed himself for his matches with Eubank and Benn, which were the biggest nights of his career. But at that time, Benn and Eubank had already been in huge fights and had taken a lot pf punishment throughout their careers. Don’t forget, Collins-Benn I ended with Nigel twisting his ankle and Collins wasn’t exactly dominating clearly any of the first four rounds. Benn actually announced his retirement sitting on the ring apron after the fight. In his mind, he had already retired when he came back for the rematch. I don’t believe Benn was at his best mentally or physically for either fight. Name : Mark Jackman Country : United Kingdom Your Question : You asked who was the best between Eubank Benn and Collins? Eubank without a doubt!!! He was smarter, as durable as Collins and could hit as hard as Benn (as he found out).

The only reason Collins beat him was because Eubank’s head was never the same after the terrible injury to Watson. Watson himself comes in second then Benn and Collins are pretty equal. CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: You may well have a point about Eubank not being the same fighter after the Watson tragedy. I thought the same thing and asked Chris Eubank that same question a few years ago and he said ‘no’. I can’t remember exactly what he said but words to the effect of he was a professional fighter and had to do the best job he could. Having said that I do think Eubank lost his edge after the second Watson fight. GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Mark, Eubank was unbeaten in 14 fights after the Michael Watson bout. To pin Collins’ win on the Watson outcome doesn’t hold water. BEN COHEN ANSWERS: I think Watson was better than all of them, with Eubank a close second. It’s splitting hairs really they were all great fighters and assets to the sport. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: At their absolute peaks, I have Eubank and Collins at the top. Collins’ fitness and workrate beat Eubank twice.

Chris just couldn’t keep the same pace when they fought, although he fought well in spurts. I thought Benn beat Eubank in their rematch. Nigel landed the cleaner, harder punches. Eubank took a lot of punishment in the later fights in his career and I think this hurt him against Collins. Name : Barnaby Chesterman Country : France Your Question : Eubank, Benn or Collins? I like the question and I think I have the answer. Benn was the most exciting, Eubank the most talented but Collins, the warrior, was the better all-round fighter. He beat Eubank and Benn twice each and Eubank had a win and a draw against Benn. I think Collins would’ve given a prime Roy Jones Jr a heck of a run for his money....if Jones had not run scared! BEN COHEN ANSWERS: Are you on crack Barnaby!? Roy Jones would have made Collins look silly, (no disrespect to the brave Irishman). Their styles were completely opposite, and Collin’s was tailer made to Jones’ blistering counter punching. As far as the rest of your analysis goes, you make some good points.

CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: Barnaby, Spot on GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Barnaby, Jones would have beaten Collins easily. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: Yes, Collins’ fitness and toughness would have seen him go twelve rounds with a prime Roy Jones Jr, but I can’t imagine how he would have caught and hurt him. Roy would have just been too fast for him in his prime. When Collins fought Eubank and Benn, they were right in front of him, which suited his game plan devised with his trainer Freddie Roach. Name : Patrick Kelly Your Question : What happened to Nigel Benn after fought Eubank? PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: You pose a short, sharp question Patrick. I assume you are suggesting that Benn was never the same after his second fight with Eubank? Maybe. I actually had him winning that fight. If he hadn’t been penalised a point for a low blow, Benn would have won on the official cards. I thought his performance in the Eubank rematch was impressive. He took too many punches against Gerald McClellan, but his heart and physical drive saw him win a fight he had simply no right to win.

Against Collins, Benn was clearly past his best. GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Recently Patrick, I understand Benn has mellowed, turned to religion and his selling his boxing memorabilia. Name : Kevin Stock Country : Ireland Your Question : Eubank was leagues above Benn and Collins. Nigel was a slugger who relied solely on his punch, speed and ducking below knee height and also being a bully. Benn maybe did deserve to win the return, but Eubank wasn’t at his best that night and Benn was ducking low all the time as usual. Steve just got to Eubank psychologically, and in the fights just out hussled him completely and out muscled him. Really, Benn and Collins weren’t very good. Eubank was. He either stood and jabbed everyone’s head off in top shape and/or countered everything that came at him using reactions and agility to move in and out of range. It’s clear as day lads. GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Kevin, to say Benn and Collins "weren’t very good" defeats any other argument you have.

CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: You’re entitled to your opinion, Kevin, but I think your well off the mark BEN COHEN ANSWERS: You’ve got a point Kevin, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say he was ’leagues ahead’. Collins and Benn had some tremendous victories in their day, and were absolutely comparable to Eubank’s. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: All three were world class boxers. We are splitting hairs in trying to work out who was the best. I think it is unfair to say that either were a long way ahead of the others. Name : Callum Donaldson Country : United Kingdom Your Question : You have to say Nigel Benn was the top guy from Benn-Eubank-Collins, even though Eubank and Collins beat him. DeWitt and Barkley IMO would make Eubank fight for 180 seconds of each round and probably beat him. Benn blew them away. Steve Collins wouldn’t stand a hope in hell’s chance against Gerald ’G-Man’ McClellan, would he???

Interestingly, Chris Eubank showed signs of being a potentially excellent fighter on the small hall shows, the way he fought out of a crouch back then and let his combinations go from all sorts of angles was impressive and he was a lot smoother when he was younger and lighter. He didn’t really hit any kind of spotlight until the TV contract signing for the Benn bout and Reginaldo Dos Santos KO/pose. Collins was seen as a very limited fighter in his early American days, but a good grafter willing to take 3 to land 4. It is fair to say that Benn was never the same after the McClellan tragedy. His mind seemed elsewhere in those last five fights and his balance awful compared to before. I think Nigel Benn, nearer his thought-before-launch peak, cuts Collins to smithereens and barely has a glove laid on him. He beat iron-chinned Eubank by 3 or 4 rounds on an OFF-NIGHT. So Benn for me. 1. Benn. 2. Collins. 3. Eubank. BEN COHEN ANSWERS: You are entitled to your opinion Callum, but I respectfully disagree. Benn was a great fighter, but a limited one.

I think Benn was underrated in his skill, his footwork improved over time, and he was able to pick his shots with excellent accuracy. However, his chin was not the best, and he often did not react well to pressure. Eubank and Collins were far better at taking punishment, and I believe were that little bit better as overall fighters. GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Callum, I agree Benn went downhill fast at the end. Eubank beats DeWitt and Barkley and Collins, with his steadiness and durability, would have given a stamina-challenged McClellan problems. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: That’s the beauty of this debate. You can make an argument for either Benn, Collins or Eubank being the best on the basis of a single fight in their careers. On his night such as with the McClellan fight, Benn was awesome. I thought he deserved to get the decision in his rematch with Eubank, but clearly lost to Collins in both fights when not at his best. It’s not easy to get an agreement on who was the best, which is why we are having this ATE debate.

Name : Franklin Watts Country : United Kingdom Your Question : Sugar Boy Malinga described Eubank as ’a very good boxer’ and Benn as ’not a good boxer’. Henry Wharton says he’d have definitely beaten Benn in a direct rematch, because he wouldn’t have frozen for the whole of the first third of the fight. Henry also says that, no matter what he did, he’d have never beaten the Eubank that night they fought in G-Mex. Collins? Pfft. He just lunged himself at Eubank all night. Not in the same class. GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Franklin, can’t argue with those who were in the ring with these men. Wharton froze in the Benn fight - that may be a fact, but it’s just an excuse. Benn had something to do with Wharton’s performance, so credit him. BEN COHEN ANSWERS: Interesting analysis Franklin. I do agree that Collins was a bit unrefined, but his tenacity was second to none. He may have lunged at Eubank all night, but it was effective lunging.

PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: If you can make the point that Eubank and Benn were past their best when they fought Collins, maybe Collins wasn’t as great as he appeared? He did lose on points to Sumbu Kalambay, Reggie Johnson and Mike McCallum. I’m not saying I subscribe to that theory fully, but when analysing Collins’ career in full they must be noted. Name : Patrick Ben Country : United Kingdom Your Question : Eubank was a master boxer/puncher, Benn was a slugger/brawler and Collins somewhat of a boxer/fighter. Eubank > Benn, Collins GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Patrick, I wouldn’t call Eubank a “master”, but his style was certainly unique. Credit his intelligence. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: At his best Eubank was impressive. But on their best nights Benn and Collins were supreme as well. I don’t think Eubank had slipped too far when he was beaten by Collins, but all of those clean shots he shrugged off over the years had worn him a little by then.

Name : Ollie Morris Country : United Kingdom Your Question : Crazy as it sounds, Collins wasn’t in the class of Benn or Eubank! I know he sent them both into retirement, but he was rubbish! He couldn’t punch his way out of a paper bag and had about nil talent. He was awkward because he was so limited, his chin, heart, courage, workrate, stamina, strength etc. got him through fights and Nigel and Chris clearly weren’t at their best then. Chris had already lost a number of fights clearly i.e. Amaral and Schommer in the 6 months before Steve jumped all over him & got the close nod. He looked rusty and crusty against Close and Storey, inferior Irish fighters to even Collins. But 1990-1993 Chris Eubank was awesome. As for Nigel, 1987-1995 Nigel was awesome. It’s just that McClellan punched everything out of him. I.M.O, it goes - Eubank tops, then Benn nipping at his heels and then Collins a little off.

Herol Graham, Michael Watson and Joe Calzaghe better than these three though, just not as famous as Benn and Eubank. Roy Jones Jr and James Toney would’ve blew Benn away and made Eubank look like a statue without him even meaning to look like a statue, Chris just did not know sharp punching and evasions like that, he didn’t know that fluidity and sharpness and it would’ve been a bit of a culture shock in my opinion. BEN COHEN ANSWERS: You make some good points Ollie, but I don’t agree about Collins. I think he had underrated skills. He wasn’t pretty to watch, but he could put his punches together well, and was actually quite good at controlling the tempo of a fight. If you watch his fights against Eubank, Collins out hustled him, which was not an easy thing to do despite his advanced age. I think Nigel Benn was an awesome force in boxing, but would come unstuck against guys he could not hurt. Collins was one of them, and would have beaten Benn any time they fought. I agree that Toney and Jones were better than all of them though. Too fast, and too skilled.

GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Ollie, you bash Collins, while giving him credit for chin, heart, courage, workrate, stamina and strength. Those qualities are the products of hard work and a confident mind. Those are important talents, and more impressive than God-given talents of speed and punching power. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: I can see where you are coming from Ollie. I’m not sure that I agree. As I wrote earlier, you have to take into account Collins’ earlier points losses to Sumbu Kalambay, Reggie Johnson and Mike McCallum. Collins fought well to beat Eubank in their first fight. That was probably the most impressive win of his career. Benn was past his best, as you pointed out, when Collins beat him. Name : Stuart Coy Country : United Kingdom Your Question : With regards to the Benn/Eubank/Collins debate: there’s one British fighter who was around at the time who keeps being forgotten and was better than all of them - Michael Watson. I’m not being sentimental in the light of what happened - I think Watson was definitely the best of them.

I think he should have got the decision against Eubank in their first fight, and was well on the way to beating him in their second fight before Eubank’s desperate punch. Watson also out-thought and knocked Benn out in six rounds in one of the most exciting fights I’ve seen in a British ring. OK, you can say he beat a reckless Benn before he learnt how to pace himself, but I think Watson would always have had too much skill for Benn. I think Watson was as strong as Eubank and Benn, but with better skills. Let’s remember him as the superb fighter he was. For the record, I think the order should be: 1.Watson. 2.Benn. 3.Eubank. 4.Collins. BEN COHEN ANSWERS: Mostly agreed, although I have it 1. Watson. 2. Eubank. 3. Collins. 4. Benn. PAUL UPHAM ANSWERS: 1. Eubank. 2. Collins. 3. Benn. 4. Watson.

CLIVE BERNATH ANSWERS: I have said I believe Watson was potentially the best of the four GREG JUCKETT ANSWERS: Stuart, Watson certainly was an equal, as he proved in his fights with Eubank and Benn. Steve Collins vs. Chris Eubank (1st meeting) - BoxRec Steve Collins vs. Chris Eubank (1st meeting) From BoxRec Jump to: navigation , search 1995-03-18 : Steve Collins 167¾ lbs beat Chris Eubank 167¾ lbs by UD in round 12 of 12 Location: Green Glens Arena, Millstreet, Ireland Aired On: Sky Sports (UK) Notes Eubank down in the 8th. Collins down in the 10th Before the bout, Collins claimed he had been hypnotized into thinking he was invincible, but admitted it was an elaborate hoax after his victory. Chris Eubank Jr forces Gary O'Sullivan to quit - BBC Sport BBC Sport Chris Eubank Jr forces Gary O'Sullivan to quit By Ben Dirs BBC Sport at the O2 Arena 12 Dec 2015 Read more about sharing.

Eubank Jr is now in line for a shot at the WBA middleweight title Chris Eubank Jr produced a sparkling performance to beat middleweight rival Gary O'Sullivan, forcing the Irishman to quit after seven rounds. Eubank Jr, 26, showed off his full repertoire of punches, landing right uppercuts and left hooks in particular. O'Sullivan, 31, demonstrated a granite chin and great courage but, ultimately, his corner had to step in. Also at the O2 Arena, Essex lightweight Kevin Mitchell was stopped in the fifth round by Venezuela's Ismael Barroso. "It was very satisfying," said Eubank Jr to Sky Sports. "To be in the position I am now - ready to fight for the WBA world title is a dream come true. "This is just a stepping stone to bigger and better things. "I want everyone who has a world title. I will take all comers." Fireworks were expected between Eubank Jr and O'Sullivan, who had been exchanging insults on social media for several years. As if more spice was needed, Chris Eubank Sr was in his son's corner, while Eubank Sr's old rival Steve Collins was in O'Sullivan's.

Eubank Jr came flying out of the blocks, peppering the Cork man with an array of uppercuts and hooks in the opening two rounds. Eubank Jr had been goaded by O'Sullivan in the build-up to the fight When O'Sullivan stood up to it and came back swinging in the third, rocking Eubank Jr with a ferocious right hand, it seemed as though the Englishman might have shot his bolt. But from thereon in it was one-way traffic, punches ricocheting off O'Sullivan's chin as he continued to plough forward. And after a seventh round in which O'Sullivan's punch output dropped appreciably, the fight was called off. Eubank Jr now has 21 wins from 22 professional fights - his only defeat was by compatriot Billy Joe Saunders in 2014. His stated aim is to challenge Kazakhstan's WBA champion Gennady Golovkin, who is regarded as one of the world's finest pound-for-pound boxers. Golovkin is undefeated in 34 fights, with 31 knockouts, and has wins over British fighters Matthew Macklin and Martin Murray on his record.

Mitchell has some tough decisions to make about his future after suffering his fourth defeat in 43 pro encounters, all by knockout. In his previous fight, the 31-year-old was tremendously courageous in losing to WBC lightweight champion Jorge Linares, also from Venezuela. Kevin Mitchell has now lost four world title fights Mitchell also came up short against Scotland's then WBO champion Ricky Burns in 2012 and Australia's Michael Katsidis in 2010. Against Barroso, Mitchell spent four rounds wheeling away from his rival's vaunted left, only to be dropped by a short right in the fifth. As is his habit, Mitchell stood and traded instead of running or grabbing and the fight was called off after he was clubbed to the canvas for a second time. Mitchell, who had hoped to challenge Manchester's WBA title-holder Anthony Crolla, might now decide he is a spent force at world level and retire. Also on the bill, Tony Bellew outpointed Poland's Mateusz Masternak to secure the European cruiserweight title and climb back into world title contention.

Bellew, 33, is a former world title challenger at light-heavyweight but has been treading water since beating Welshman Nathan Cleverly at the higher weight last November. Bellew, who stars in the new Rocky film which is out in January, struggled to impose himself at times but ground his way to a unanimous decision. The Liverpool fighter is ranked in the top 10 with three of the four main governing bodies and could get a second world title shot in 2016. American two-weight world champion Paulie Malignaggi won the European welterweight title with a unanimous decision over Italy's Antonio Moscatiello. Malignaggi, who is of Italian descent, had far too much experience and class for Moscatiello and barely lost a round. Share this page Recalling the 5 Defeats Chris Eubank Suffered During His Professional Career | Bleacher Report Recalling the 5 Defeats Chris Eubank Suffered During His Professional Career By Rob Lancaster , Featured Columnist Mar 18, 2015 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Holly Stein/Getty Images Comments Chris Eubank provided British boxing with some great nights.

Some found the flashy ring walks and fancy clothes too much to take. Others loved the two-weight world champion for his showmanship as much as his skills. Either way, Eubank was involved in some classic fights. He twice went to war with Nigel Benn, defeating his rival the first time before the rematch ended in a draw. However, the Dulwich-born fighter did not always come out on top. On March 18, 1997, Eubank was beaten for the first time as a professional. Steve Collins not only took away his WBO title that night in Ireland but also erased Eubank's perfect record. To mark the 20th anniversary of that first loss, we look back at the bouts when the man nicknamed "Simply the Best" came out on the wrong side of the result. Tweet Chris Eubank boasted a 41-0-2 record when he travelled to Ireland to face Steve Collins. Having beaten Henry Wharton on points the previous December, Eubank held the WBO super-middleweight belt ahead of the bout at the Green Glens Arena in the village of Millstreet. However, despite heading to the ring on a Harley Davidson motorcycle, the champion never moved through the gears against Collins.

The challenger dropped the Englishman in the eighth round, and although Eubank returned the favour in the 10th, it was not enough to spare him from a first defeat. The judges scored it 116-114, 114-113 and 115-111 in the home fighter's favour. Collins had spoken before the bout about using a hypnotist to help him become immune to pain, per Glynn Evans of BoxNation . Eubank admitted afterward that the issue had played on his mind. He revealed in a television interview later that he was seriously worried he would "kill" Collins, according to SportsHypnosis.co.uk , after knocking him down. Tweet After tasting defeat for the first time, Chris Eubank quickly got back to work with the aim of reclaiming his WBO belt. He put away both Bruno Ruben Godoy and Jose Ignacio Barruetabena in a hurry, beating both men inside a round, to pave the way for a rematch with Collins. The second bout between the pair was staged at Pairc Ui Chaoimh in Cork, Ireland, in September, 1995.

Unlike their first meeting, both fighters managed to stay on their feet for the full 12 rounds. In the end the judges were needed again to decide the winner, with Collins getting the verdict via a split decision to retain the title. The Irishman later admitted in an interview with Ring Magazine that Eubank was the strongest opponent he faced: "I always wanted to be in punching range against Chris, but he was the toughest, most durable man I ever met." Eubank announced his retirement the following month, though he didn't hang up the gloves for too long. Tweet Chris Eubank did not fight for another 13 months after his second loss at the hands of Steve Collins. The retirement plan soon went out the window as he decided to carry on boxing, though he was made to travel on his return to action. He defeated Luis Dionisio Barrera in Cairo, Egypt, and then also saw off the challenge of Camilo Alarcon in Dubai. The WBO belt he had previously held became available again after champion Collins decided to call it a day. Eubank took on Joe Calzaghe, with the unbeaten Welshman quickly giving the former titleholder an idea of his abilities by dropping him in the very first round.

However, he could not find a way to put Eubank away and was instead pushed hard through to the final bell. For the first time in his career Calzaghe was taken the distance, getting the nod from the judges by scores of 118-109, 118-110 and 116-111. The new champion confessed he had been made to work for the victory, per BBC Sport : "Physically and mentally, the Eubank fight drained me." Tweet Having failed to become a world champion again at super-middleweight, Chris Eubank decided to move on up in his bid for further glory. He headed to cruiserweight and was given the chance to challenge for the WBO belt held by fellow Brit Carl Thompson. The bout, staged in Manchester, was an absorbing battle between two experienced fighters. Eubank scored a knockdown in the fourth. He could not, though, find a way to finish Thompson, with BBC Sport suggesting he tired as the rounds wore on.

Thompson went on to retain his crown with a unanimous points triumph—two judges had it 114-113 in his favour, with the other scoring the contest 116-113 to the champion. The spectacle put on by the pair set the scene perfectly for a rematch, and the pair agreed to do it all again just three months later. Tweet Sheffield was the venue for the rematch between Chris Eubank and Carl Thompson. Thompson had won the first bout on points to retain his WBO cruiserweight belt, but he would not need the judges to triumph the second time around. Eubank started impressively enough, per BBC Sport's fight report , but suffered damage to his left eye. The same issue had bothered him in the first meeting , and by the end of the ninth the injury was so severe his eye had swollen shut. The ringside doctor inspected Eubank, and referee Paul Thomas called a halt to the proceedings. For the first time in his long and distinguished career, Eubank had been stopped inside the distance. It was also the final outing for the two-weight world champion. Eubank ended his career with a 45-5-2 (23 KOs) record.

What made the loss even tougher to take for the Brighton-based boxer was he was actually ahead on two of the scorecards at the time the bout was waved off.

Question: Who beat Chris Eubank in two World Title fights in 1995
Answer: Steve Collins